Le Rouge et le Noir
by Amanozako-hime
Summary: AkaKuro Drabbles. Drama, humor and fluff.
1. Home

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 **| HOME |**

 **自宅**

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Staring at his reflection in his bathroom mirror, Kuroko couldn't help but smile. It was Friday afternoon, and he was welcomed by one Akashi Seijuurou at the gates of Seirin, surprising not only him but all of his teammates, especially Kagami. Akashi himself was very much amused at seeing their reactions, and though it would have amused him further to play with their minds further, he and Kuroko had promised to spend the weekend together since Kuroko's parents will be going out of town tomorrow while Akashi's father, well, he hardly cares where Akashi spends his weekdays as long as he does not make any more mistakes, like losing the Winter Cup tournament, for example.

And so, with as much politeness from the Akashi heir, he said his greetings to them followed by a quick goodbye before he stole their beloved phantom from them, despite Kagami's grumbles.

Kuroko knew for a fact that he had loved the redhead since middle school but he never expected for those feelings to be reciprocated – after all, who would have thought that he, plain, boring, middle-class Kuroko Tetsuya will ever catch the attention of Akashi Seijuurou?

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Kuroko sighed. "We're out of food," he muttered loud enough for the redhead to hear. Kuroko straightened up and closed the refrigerator. Of all the times to forget grocery shopping, it just had to be now – now when he had one Akashi Seijuurou staying over at his home. "I'm afraid we have to go out and do some grocery shopping."

From his seat on the dining table, Akashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Why do we have to go out when we can just order in?"

Kuroko leveled a blank stare at his boyfriend of five months. "Are you afraid of eating my homecooked meal, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi smirked then stood up as he grabbed the keys on the counter, making Kuroko frown. It was _his_ keys, _his_ house. "Fine. Let's go, then."

Outside on the front steps, Nigou pranced around Akashi's legs as the redhead locked the door behind them with Kuroko's keys, while Kuroko pondered on what to buy for tonight's dinner. Truth is he was a little nervous, since this will be the first time that Akashi will be staying over, barring that one time in middle school.

"So, where are we going?" Akashi asked, heading towards him, keys jangling in his hand.

"The supermarket," Kuroko replied, taking the lead. "It's just around the corner."

Akashi followed him, his steps regal and graceful, gray jacket draped around his shoulders with its empty arm sockets dangling uselessly on his sides. "It's alright. I like walking around with you, Tetsuya."

Kuroko hid his blush by turning his head to the side as they stopped at the intersection, waiting for the light to turn. "It would be rude to leave you alone in my house while I do the shopping. My mother usually drops by the supermarket after work but it seems that she will be late tonight, same with my father, so – "

Akashi stopped his ramblings by holding his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I said it's alright, Tetsuya. You don't have to worry that much."

"O-okay, then," Kuroko stuttered, and they crossed the street just like that, with their hands linked with one another, despite his subtle efforts of tugging it from Akashi's grip.

They entered the supermarket and Kuroko felt relieved and disappointed when Akashi finally let go of his hand to grab a small silver cart from the line near the front door. The redhead then looked at him expectantly, making Kuroko's eyes dance with amusement at the sight. Seeing his obvious delight, Akashi tilted his head to the side as if to say, "What are you laughing at?"

Kuroko bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It's just that Akashi-kun looks so domestic right now."

"Do I?" Akashi looked thoughtful. "Tetsuya looks ravishing in an apron, though."

"I fail to see the appeal of the apron," Kuroko stated flatly as he led Akashi to the vegetable section. He was standing in front of the carrot stand when Akashi left the cart and sidled up to him, pretending to choose among the carrots on display. Akashi picked one and turned it over in his hands.

"You look ravishing anytime, Tetsuya, but the thing with aprons is that it is easy to remove and exposes your backside completely, granted that you are wearing one without anything else under it."

"Akashi-kun!" His face was now beet red upon hearing those suggestive words, and it doesn't help either that Akashi purposefully said them in a low, husky voice, the one he used when he was seducing Kuroko. Kuroko wouldn't have minded it but they were hardly in a private place at the moment! "You should not –!"

Akashi swiftly pressed a quick kiss on the bluenette's cheek before resuming his post behind the cart. "Let's finish this quickly then, Tetsuya. And since you'll be cooking dinner, wear an apron, okay?" Akashi chuckled darkly as Kuroko looked up, asking for patience from the gods to deal with an impish Emperor.

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"Mom? I thought you're going to be late," Kuroko asked as his mother led Akashi and him to the kitchen, where they deposited the shopping bags on the dinner table. Kuroko's mother thanked them and peeked inside the bags to see what they had bought. There's tofu and an odd mix of vegetables and some shrimp and chicken meat. She looked at the two teens behind her and stifled a smile. It seems like they'd walked around the supermarket and just picked up whatever they fancied.

"I remembered that Akashi-kun is staying over for the weekend so I finished work early," she replied. She turned to the redhead. "I know Tetsuya is adorable and all but he hardly knows his way in the kitchen."

"Indeed, Kuroko-san," Akashi said with mock pity. "I told Tetsuya that we can just order something but he seems bent on cooking dinner."

"Ah, don't be so formal, Akashi-kun. You've called me Auntie before." she admonished playfully. "Well, Tetsuya wants to impress you, I think," the older female said with a laugh.

"Tetsuya is right here, and he can hear you perfectly," Kuroko grumbled beside Akashi. Both Akashi and his mother laughed at that, and he cannot help but laugh along with them.

"Go on, wait in the living room, boys," she said, waving them out of the kitchen. "I'll prepare dinner so you two can do whatever you boys do when no one is looking."

Akashi laughed as Kuroko gaped like a fish out of the water. With a face that almost matched Akashi's hair, the bluenette cried out.

"Mom!"

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	2. Decadence

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 **| DECADENCE |**

– **頽唐** **-**

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"Kuroko."

Dark lashes fluttered against pale skin as Kuroko Tetsuya woke up slowly, powder-blue eyes hazy with sleep. He blinked a few times, and then he was aware of the warm hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently.

" _Kuroko,"_ Akashi whispered once again, his warm breath tickling the inside of his ear. It made him shiver outwardly, and even without looking, he was sure that the redhead was grinning at his visible reaction.

"What is it, Akashi-kun?" he asked, rubbing at his eyes. He sat up from his futon and in the dim light of the room, he saw the slumbering figures of their friends curled up in the comfort of their own beddings. The rest of the _Kiseki no Sedai_ plus Momoi were all there, not one of them willing to miss this rare reunion getaway at a hot spring resort owned by Akashi's family. Sure, they have seen each other during the Winter Cup days ago, but they have missed each other so much that even the usual complaints from Aomine and Midorima were nowhere to be heard when Akashi proposed that they spend the rest of their winter break together.

He frowned. Yes, he missed Akashi very much, but does he really have to miss his sleep as well? "What time is it?" he asked, wincing as his sore muscles protested after playing basketball earlier the whole day.

"I want to go to the hot springs," Akashi said in a whisper, totally ignoring the bluenette's questions. Kuroko suppressed a sigh when he caught a glimpse of the digital clock on a nearby table, the numbers 11:49 glowing in green neon light.

Kuroko hid his yawn behind his hand as he glared at the redhead half-heartedly. Akashi's eyes were dancing with mirth, and Kuroko cannot help as his lips quirked in a small smile. Seeing Akashi like this was such a rare treat, and he was not one to waste any opportunity to make Akashi act his age and make him forget his problems even if just for one night.

"The hot springs? At this time of the night?" he grumbled, even though he was already scrambling out of his futon, a hand on top of his head as if to hide the hideous bed hair from view. Akashi's silent chuckle behind him though was indication that it was a futile attempt.

After changing into the bathrobes provided by the inn, the two went out to the hot springs out back. Akashi was holding his hand while his other held a traditional lamp to light their way in the dark hallways. Kuroko did not speak up for fear of breaking the illusory calm of this silence between the two of them.

The chilly evening breeze brushed their faces gently as they set foot outside, and Akashi set down his lamp on one of the stone benches, illuminating the space around them. Above them, the night sky was littered with millions of stars. Akashi looked up and gazed at the solitary moon, and Kuroko followed his gaze as they stood side by side, when the redhead spoke.

"Thank you."

The words were something Kuroko did not expect him to say in that moment. "Uh, for what?"

Akashi flicked his now crimson eyes to him and another smile graced his lips. "For giving me back myself."

Kuroko blushed and looked down, afraid that the redhead will find the truth if he looked in his eyes. "I was only doing my part as Akashi-kun's friend..." He trailed off when he dared to glance at the redhead and saw him staring blankly at the steaming pool before them. Hesitantly, Kuroko reached out to tap him lightly on his upper arm. "Akashi-kun..?"

The redhead turned, and Kuroko found himself in a tight embrace, with Akashi nuzzling the side of his neck, his warm breath making him shiver. Kuroko stiffened when Akashi said in what sounded like a pained whisper, "I missed you, Kuroko."

The way the redhead spoke reminded him of memories he'd tried to forget to shield himself from the pain they brought him; of stolen kisses inside Teikou's locker rooms and the countless nights spent in darkened room. "Akashi-kun, I – "

And then he was cut off when soft warm lips descended on his, and his mind went blank as Akashi's hands slid down his sides, coming to rest on his hips. He gasped when he felt the redhead pull him closer to him, and Akashi took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, sucking the bluenette's tongue and stealing Kuroko's breath away.

Kuroko did not know when he had lifted his arms to wound them around Akashi's neck; all he knows is that not once did he thought of pushing him away. Why would he, when he had been waiting for this moment since the day that Akashi shook his hand after they beat him at the Winter Cup tournament?

Which is why he was greatly disappointed when Akashi finally pulled away for lack of air, both of them panting, their faces tinged pink. "Akashi-kun– "

"You can slap me now, Kuroko," the redhead said, closing his eyes as he waited for Kuroko to shout at him or hit him.

Kuroko was surprised. "Why would I do such a thing, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi's eyes opened in surprise. He looked at the boy before him in disbelief as Kuroko shook his head, and Akashi stared when the bluenette blushed even more. "What would you say if I tell you that I missed you, too, Akashi-kun?"

"But surely, after everything that I've done to you...Surely you must not want to do anything more with me," Akashi said but instead of commenting on his words, Kuroko only laughed as he laid a tentative hand on Akashi's cheek.

"We never said goodbye to one another, did we?" Feeling bold, Kuroko raised his head and kissed the corner of Akashi's lips, smiling when he felt his breathing catch in his throat. He must have surprised the redhead by his actions once again, since he never was one to lead in this kinds of situations. He moved downward and traced the curve of Akashi's jaw with his lips, licking occasionally with his tongue. It was not long before Akashi groaned deep in his throat and moved his hands to cradle the back of the phantom's head as he leaned down to capture the bluenette's lips in his once again, determined to take back some control of the situation. He nipped gently on Kuroko's bottom lip, smirking as the boy whimpered in his arms. "A-Akashi-kun..."

"Call me by my name, Tetsuya..." Akashi murmured as one hand made its way under the phantom's yukata and touched bare skin that was steadily growing warm beneath his fingertips.

"Seijuurou…!" Akashi's finger had found his nipple and was pinching it lightly, sending a jolt of pleasure along Kuroko's body. Kuroko had thrown his head back and Akashi immediately latched his lips on his exposed throat, sucking the soft pale skin, and soon, Kuroko was panting and moaning at the redhead's minstrations.

"Tell me to stop, Tetsuya," Akashi murmured in his ear. He did not miss the way Kuroko's hips grinding into his own, and he had felt the boy's hardness underneath the thin yukata, and he was certain that Kuroko had felt his arousal as well.

"Don't...don't stop, Seijuurou," Kuroko whimpered, and the words sounded both like heaven and hell to Akashi.

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	3. Irreversible

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 **赤黒の週**

 **by Amanozako-hime**

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 **あなたの側にいたい。**

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 _ **Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

Ever since Akashi Seijuurou started going to Rakuzan High, he found himself repeating the same line in his head for the first few weeks, not that it was working, truth be told. After moving back to Kyoto, Akashi felt like he was still in Tokyo - in Teikou - and there are times when he felt like looking back in hopes of seeing a bunch of colorful individuals chasing after him in hopes of roping him into a ice cream adventure at the nearest convenience store.

 _ **Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

The line became somewhat like a mantra to the young heir in his first few months in his new school. Try as he might, but his other self, the one that he had buried under his consciousness, was stubbornly clinging to those memories like a lifeline, and if there was anything that his two persona have in common, it's their stubbornness.

 _Let go._

 _They're all in the past, and they are but your opponents now in the present, nothing more, nothing less._

But no amount of convincing can make the ruby-eyed boy to relinquish his hold on them. Quite the contrary, in fact. The more that the boy with the sole golden eye tried to make him forget, the tighter he clung to them, the brighter his eyes shone with the flames of defiance and determination. It came to the point that even the Emperor had to admit to himself that perhaps, he did miss them, but only just a little bit.

It was Monday, the start of a new week, but to Akashi, it was just another day where he had to fall into the same repetitive pattern that he calls his life. Staying in the Rakuzan dormitories lessened his interactions - or the possibility of it, rather - with the man he calls father, but even that was a rarity in itself given that Akashi Masaomi was always cooped up in his office or away on business trips, be it local or abroad. Akashi had seen no point in going back and forth to the manor on a daily basis when he could just stay in the dorms, and his father had agreed when he presented the idea to him. His father doesn't care much about him since the Akashi matriarch died, occasionally sparing a glance or two at the red-haired boy who looks so much like his mother that it pains Masaomi to look at his heir because Seijuurou is the reminder of what he had lost. Whether or not the heir is aware of the reason of his father's coldness towards him, Masaomi do not know, too lost in his own grief even though several years had already passed since then that he did not see the hurt and confusion in Seijuurou's eyes whenever he dismisses him without so much as a backward glance.

Classes do not start until 08:30, but Akashi was already inside the student council office by six, finishing up the paperwork until seven, when he would have to go down to the gym and change clothes for the morning practice with the basketball team. This would last until 08:00, after which they would start getting ready for the morning assembly that was held in Rakuzan's huge auditorium at 08:30 sharp. Depending on the occasion, Akashi sometimes have to go on stage for some announcements by the student council, but most of the time, he was there seated at the front row along with the other freshmen. They would then go back to their respective classrooms and have lessons until lunch at 12:00, and since he stays in the dorm, he would have to go to the cafeteria for lunch, unlike his other classmates who have their own _bentos_ and thus prefer to stay in the classroom to eat with their friends. Akashi already knew that he would be eating alone, and the thought sent a pang of loneliness in his heart as he ate quietly in a corner table for two while around him, the buzz of the student's chatter and laughter echoed in the dining hall. The first few days, it was enough to make him lose his appetite, but he quickly crushed the growing feeling and stoically sat there, shoveling food in his mouth mechanically like a robot, eating for the sake of putting nutrients in his body but not really enjoying the food. He finishes lunch quickly before retreating to the student council room to check up on new work to be done or just to hang out and play _shogi_ with himself, unlike in the past when he had a viridian-haired opponent who never stopped playing against him despite losing again and again.

Akashi sighed as he toyed with a _shogi_ piece in his fingers before putting it down on the board with a satisfying _clack_.

 _Sometimes, though, when the green-eyed boy was not available, Akashi still finds himself playing shogi by himself while a bluenette reads on the seat across him from the table, with a presence so low that one would think that Akashi is alone by himself in the clubroom. However, they would notice the redhead talking to someone with a hint of a smile on his thin lips as he maneuvered the pieces on the board with his slender fingers, pausing once in a while to look up at his companion who was smiling behind the safety of his book as he engaged the fearsome redhead in a light conversation on the most trivial subjects._

Akashi was not one for small talk, but he doesn't seem to mind.

But that was back in Teikou.

 _ **Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

So Akashi spends the hour-long lunch time by himself, reading books or playing shogi, but most of the time he finds himself staring blankly at the page or at the shogi board, as if unsure of what to do with them, until the bell rings to signal the start of afternoon classes.

He would then have to sit for another three hours of lessons that he already knew and mastered years ago, though he still listened to his teachers and participate in class discussions only when he was called, volunteering only when no one in the class seems to know the answer. He would politely ignore the looks on his classmates faces and wait patiently for the bell to ring again, so that he can go to gym where he would be met once again by the same reactions, intensified when he was announced to become the captain of the team despite his age. Everyone respected him, but out of fear, and only the regulars dare to approach him and talk to him on matters regarding practice and other basketball-related issues. No one dares to hold one-on-one plays against each other, or sneak snacks or ridiculous objects claiming that it was their lucky item for the day, or a pink-haired girl shouting out the name of her crush the moment she enters the gym. And as Akashi was getting irritated by all these disturbances in their practice, there was no stilling hand on his arm or a soothing voice in his ear telling him to calm down.

 _ **But then again, Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

Practice always goes smoothly, and their manager was a third-year boy name Higusa, and though Akashi was able to find out the quirks of his new teammates easily enough, they never displayed it in front of him. They seemed to be testing the waters though, as he would catch Hayama getting playful during practice games, or Mibuchi getting more vocal as he would try to strike conversation with him, or Nebuya making those loud yells whenever he makes a dunk or a rebound. Akashi is not yet sure how things will proceed with his teammates but when practice ends and he dismisses them after they're all done with the cleaning, no one stays behind for extra practice. The three Uncrowned Kings all live in their homes, and Akashi once heard them making plans on visiting a newly-opened café or dropping by the arcade after practice, and of course, he was not invited.

Not that he expected them to extend an invitation to him, of course. By how they see him, they would think that Akashi Seijuurou is not the type to engage in such mundane activities, and does he even goes to such cheap establishments?

So Akashi walks alone in the hallways as he heads for the dormitories at the back of the school. In the quiet evening, he would hear echoes of past conversations in his head -

 _"Ne, ne, Aominecchi, go ask Akashicchi to go with us!"_

 _"Ha? Why should I be the one to do it? Go tell him yourself!"_

 _"Eh?! But I am already the one treating all of you! You at least should contribute by doing this!"_

 _"Ki-chan's right, Dai-chan! Now go!"_

 _"O-oi, Satsuki! What the- Oi, stop pushing me!"_

 _A yawn. "Mine-chin, just do it~ Or I'll crush you~"_

 _"Just crush him, Murasakibara."_

 _"Damn you, Midorima! Oi, you purple giant, get your hand away from my head!"_

 _"No can do, Mine-chin~"_

 _"Just- Why not let Tetsu do it?"_

 _"Nooooo~! Not Tetsu-kun!"_

 _"For once, Aomine used his brain."_

 _"Will you shut the fuck up,_ megane _?!"_

 _"Ne, Aominecchi, that's actually a compliment coming from Midorimacchi... You should be proud!"_

 _"Fuck you, Kise!"_

 _"Dai-chan, language!"_

 _"But, why me?"_

 _"Because Kurokocchi has the highest chance of survival against Akashicchi!"_

 _"Eh?"_

 _"If that's the case, then why were you making me go in the first place?"_

 _"Hmm~ Because if it's Mine-chin, Aka-chin might even have a hard time exterminating you~"_

 _"Exterminate me? Why does it sound like you are making me a pest?"_

 _"Because you are one."_

 _"I didn't ask you, four-eyes!"_

 _"Anyway, go, Kurokocchi! Ask him now!"_

 _"Good luck, Tetsu-kun!"_

 _"Here, this is your lucky item for today, Kuroko."_

 _"You can do it, Tetsu!"_

 _"Kuro-chin,_ gambatte _~"_

 _"Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going..."_

 _Footsteps steadily approached him behind._

 _"Ne, Akashi-kun..."_

 _"What is it, Kuroko?"_

 _"Ano, the team and I are wondering if you would like to, you know- I mean, if you are free to go with us to, uh-"_

 _A chuckle. "Alright. I'll go."_

 _A triumphant cheer came from the bushes behind them._

 _A sigh. "You already knew what I am going to say, right, Akashi-kun?"_

 _"You were not being discreet."_

 _"Then why didn't you just- Hmp."_

 _"And ruin all the fun?" Another chuckle. "You were having quite the predicament there trying to decide who's going to be the sacrificial lamb."_

 _A pout. "Akashi-kun is being mean."_

 _"I am not."_

 _"Says the one who smirked when Murasakibara-kun said that Aomine-kun would be a challenging opponent to Akashi-kun."_

 _"Hm? How could you say that when I had my back turned to you the whole time? Do you have x-ray vision now, Kuroko?"_

 _"I don't, but I know you did, though."_

 _"Really now..."_

 _"You did not even deny it."_

 _"So I didn't. Doesn't mean that I actually did it though."_

 _"But you did."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"Oi, Tetsu, what's taking you so long?"_

 _"..."_

 _"I think it's best that we join the others."_

 _"Aa, that would be best, Akashi-kun."_

\- and he'd go to his room and pull out his stash of tooth-achingly sweet Popsicles and eat them on his own just because he can.

 _ **Because Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

He'd check his phone and all he can see are emails from his work at the company and nothing else. Briefly, he'll open up his social media accounts that a certain blond had persuaded him - and the rest of the team - to create so that they can have other ways of connecting with each other. His accounts were now inactive though, his last posts dating half a year ago, but now and then he would open it to check on them, though only the person who proposed the idea is the only one using them due to his model status. Unconsciously, his fingers would scroll down until he reached the oldest posts, and he could see how different life was back then, how random and spontaneous his days were, unlike the scheduled clockwork that he is in right now.

 _ **Because Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

 _There's no one ambushing him for pictures even at the risk of doubled or tripled training later during practice, though seeing how a certain bluenette's eyes would twinkle when presented with the stolen shots, sometimes, Akashi would grant forgiveness to the two daring idiots and ignore the shit-eating grins on their faces. His sweet revenge would come in the form of the words, "Kuroko, you're teaming up with me," and a smug look on his face as the two idiots would growl and roll on the floor, begging him to let their beloved "Tetsu/Kurokocchi" to be on their team._

 _Never did Akashi enjoy saying the word, "No." But for times like this, Akashi was practically glowing._

His evenings are spent doing assignments and work with minimal disturbance - emails from his secretary, calls from his father's secretary - and he usually goes to bed at ten only to wake up at 05:30 the following morning and do it all over again.

 _ **Because Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

So why is it that every time before he goes to bed, he keeps on checking his phone for that one single message that helps him fall asleep?

 _"Good night, Akashi-kun."_

 _ **Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

With that thought, Akashi's mind wandered to the boy with hair and eyes the color of the skies on a clear day. He wondered if the boy looks at his phone and thinks of the boy with hair and eyes the color of skies at sunset, decides whether or not to send a message but opting not to for reasons Akashi knows but would rather not say out loud. It was cowardice, but in this, Akashi allows himself to be weak, until it becomes too painful for him and then, and only then, will he be able to fall asleep.

Mibuchi broached the topic a week later, when Akashi found them holed up in the clubroom one rainy day. Rumors of his winning streak had reached the ears of the regulars of Rakuzan's basketball team, and was rightfully doubtful about it. After beating Nebuya in arm-wrestling and Hayama in _niramekko_ , the shooting guard had thought that playing poker, a game that he thought to revolve mainly on luck, will even the playing field. Mibuchi was never one for silence and has expressed his interest in knowing their young captain better, and so has asked him this question:

"How was Sei-chan's middle school life?"

Akashi could have started a lengthy comparison of his life in Teikou and here in Rakuzan, but he opted to keep his answers short. However, he found himself answering honestly, and perhaps, opened himself up to another person.

"I had a pleasant time in school, and I was blessed with good friends."

Now, even Hayama was interested

"What kind of guys were the other _Kiseki no Sedai_ really like?"

Akashi found Hayama's question interesting, especially with the blond's use of the words '-really like?' Now, he could have exposed the _Kiseki_ 's true colors instead of the basketball geniuses and prodigies and monsters that they were known to be, but he didn't. Instead, he smiled to himself as he recalled their odd quirks an personalities, as he answered vaguely.

"They were an interesting confederation, although their abilities were far too advanced and it was quite difficult to deal with them at times. However, they each have their own charm."

"Wasn't it tiring to be the captain when everyone was such an individualist?"

Akashi shook his head. "It wasn't so bad. There were conflicts at first, but there was quite a mediator amongst them."

And it was what made Akashi consider Kuroko Tetsuya to be a very precious person, not only to the team but to himself as well.

"I see... So what kind of guy is he?"

 _What was Kuroko Tetsuya like?_ Akashi do not know how to answer this question. Words seem unfitting to describe what Kuroko is like. There doesn't seem to be enough of them to describe him. So, Akashi simply said, with a slight narrowing of his eyes,

"We'll be able to meet him soon."

"Aa. We'll probably encounter him at the InterHigh, right?" Nebuya said, only for their captain to shake his head.

Akashi thought back to Kise's post about the heartbreak that he had to endure because his beloved "Kurokocchi" rejected his offer to move to Kaijou.

"No, InterHigh would be impossible. It will take a bit more time before we are able to meet him."

"But, schools with the _Kiseki no Sedai_ won't have any problems appearing at the InterHigh right?"

"He is not part of the _Kiseki no Sedai_. He is different from us." Akashi looked thoughtful and a touch melancholic when he added, almost to himself, "That is exactly why he has meaning."

Mibuchi, ever perceptive, echoed, "Meaningful as in...?"

Unfortunately, Nebuya chose that moment to declare the end of the game, and Akashi was thankful for the interruption. Despite the shooting guard's prodding, the redhead's lips were sealed as he left them to check his cards themselves.

On his way to his classroom, Akashi kept hearing Mibuchi's question. How was Kuroko meaningful to him?

 _He was the only person that made Akashi second-guess himself. The only mind that he cannot fathom truly what's going on inside him. The one that he felt safe enough to reveal his true self - the lonely child who only wanted to be loved and appreciated, who was afraid of being left behind, who was nearly staggering under all the pressure and expectations that was placed on him because of who and what he is, the broken doll hidden inside the beautiful puppet that masquerades as Akashi Seijuurou, the perfect student and the impervious captain who never loses in anything and everything - yet accepted him fully without hesitation or judgment. Kuroko was all that and more, and he'd probably done more than Akashi had done for him, though the blue-eyed would beg to differ._

"Akashi-kun, please solve the problem on the board."

Like a mindless robot, he stood up from his seat and accepted the offered chalk. Taking one look at the seemingly complicated algebra problem, he began writing the complete step-by-step solution for it in his elegant writing instead of the simplified version, as if he was still teaching a certain bluenette on the intricacies of the subject. Math was, and perhaps still is, Kuroko's greatest weakness.

 _ **Rakuzan is not Teikou.**_

He is the only freshman in Rakuzan's first string. He has no teammates who will ask him for tutorials and if possible, _can we have sleepovers in Akashicchi's apartment? Can we, can we, can we, can we~?_

 _"It can't be helped. Very well. Everyone will be going to my place tonight. And if your scores don't meet my expectations for the exams next week, your training will be tripled."_

 _"Yey!_ Arigatou _, Akashicchi!"_

 _"Thank you, Akashi-kun. If only our teachers are like you, then we won't be having such difficulties in understanding our lessons."_

 _"You flatter me, Kuroko."_

 _"I was being honest, Akashi-kun."_

 _"I know."_

 _"Hmp."_

"You really miss them, huh?" The Emperor asked the ruby-eyed boy in the shadows. "Especially _him_."

 **What is it to you?** He vehemently returns, his eyes flashing in the shadows. And as if the ferocity in his words hurt him, the boy crumples back to himself like a kicked puppy while the Emperor watched with mixed pity and exasperation.

"Stop hurting yourself," he said, kneeling down in front of the fallen boy and reaching out a hand as if to caress the curve of his cheek, only to draw his hand away when the boy flinched at the contact. He frowned, standing once more. "Fine. Be that way, then. I'll just show you how those people are not worth your time. Especially that little phantom of yours."

 **Don't you dare hurt them!**

The Emperor laughed, a harsh, hollow sound that grated on the boy's ears. "And who's going to stop me? You?" He sneered down at him just as the darkness completely swallowed the ruby-eyed boy, drowning out his screams. As he vanished, the Emperor's face turned blank as he clenched his fists at his sides.

"You don't understand," he murmured, almost like a prayer, "You don't need those weaklings. I am the only one you need. I am enough. Why can't you see that?"

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 _\- naicha dame, naicha dame demo hontou wa iitai yoikanaide..._

「I shouldn't cry. I shouldn't cry. But the truth, I want to say out loud, "Don't go."」

Sky-blue eyes fluttered open beneath heavy eyelids as his caller ringtone sounded under his pillow. Blindly, he searched for it with a weak arm, groaning softly at the dizziness that floods his system with the slightest move of his head.

"Ugh," he groaned as he squinted at the screen, the faint light hurting his sensitive eyes. With a shaky hand, he managed to press on the green phone icon and lifted it to his ear, hissing as he did so.

"Hello?"

He winced as Kagami's voice boomed on the other end of the line. "Oi, Kuroko, are you alright? You sound like you're dying!"

"Perhaps I am, Kagami-kun," he said, more like croaked, since his throat was so dry that it makes talking hurt so much. He coughed, then, and he almost laughed as he heard his partner panic over the phone. "Calm down, Kagami-kun," he finally managed, closing his tired eyes to conserve some energy. "It's just a slight fever."

"Slight fever, my ass," Seirin's ace grumbled, clearly not believing Kuroko, who was the master of understatement. "Think you can last until after class?"

"It's alright, Kagami-kun, I'll just have to sleep this off," Kuroko said, already half-asleep. Kami, was he exhausted. Dimly, he wondered what brought on this sudden sickness...

"Alright, it's decided then. I'm going to your house after class. Perhaps Coach will let me skip practice. Obviously, you need someone to take care of..." Whatever Kagami was saying was lost to the bluenette as he once again succumbed to the call of Morpheus, plunging himself into the land of dreams...

 _After a brutal training yesterday, Kuroko came down with a fever due to the fact that he got caught in the rain after Aomine invited him to eat at Maji Burger. His red-haired captain promptly called him when he did not show up during morning practice, and had heard Aomine begging said captain's forgiveness. It was not his fault that Kuroko's immune system is so weak but it was funny hearing Akashi's lecture on how to be more responsible for his partner and if Aomine will be able to teach Kuroko the lessons that he will probably miss due to his sickness and thank the kami that Kuroko is not as stupid as the idiot ganguro so Kuroko will still pass the exams regardless and that as the captain, Akashi will take care of their sixth man and now ignoring Aomine again, Akashi turned his attention to Kuroko and asked him if he had already taken his medicine._

 _"I did," Kuroko lied, knowing that Akashi will know regardless._

 _"Nice try," the red-head said, his tone a mix of amusement and exasperation at the boy's attempt to lie, then in a more serious tone, he said, "I'm coming over."_

 _"What- Akashi-kun, you don't have to-" A coughing fit stopped him from trying to dissuade his captain from skipping his classes just to tend to his sickness._

 _When he was finally able to talk again, he realized that Akashi had already hung up. Gazing at the phone with incredulity, Kuroko groaned, trying not to have a panic attack._

Oh my kami. Akashi-kun is coming over.

 _He must have fallen asleep sometime after the phone call, because when he next opened his eyes, it was to the touch of Akashi's cold hand as he placed it on his forehead to check his temperature. Kuroko felt his cheeks grow warmer not because of his illness. He just hoped that Akashi will not notice._

 _"You're burning up," he said, moving his hand to Kuroko's neck._

 _"...H-how astute of you, Akashi-kun."_

 _Kuroko almost bit his tongue when Akashi smiled at his comment. "You do not take kindly to being sick, do you?" he said with a chuckle as he absentmindedly brushed the hair covering his forehead._

 _"I don't think anyone would like to get sick," Kuroko mumbled, feeling grateful now that Akashi pulled away and allowed him to breath normally. He watched as Akashi pulled a few items from his bag and arranged them on his study desk._

 _"I forgot to ask you if you have medicines available in your house so I decided to go ahead and buy some just in case," Akashi began to explain when he saw Kuroko looking at him. "I picked up some provisions as well," he held out a box of peppermint and yarrow tea and a couple fever cooling sheets. For some reason, Akashi was radiating a sense of pride for an accomplishment of some sort. Kuroko would have to ask him about it later._

 _"I'm sorry for making you go through all this trouble, Akashi-kun."_

 _"You don't have to apologize, Kuroko. Besides, isn't it normal for friends to take care of each other?"_

 _The redhead's casual response threw him off the loop for a few seconds before he was able to give a response._

 _"I-it is, but you are missing your classes just because-"_

 _"I already studied those so I am not actually missing anything," Akashi said, opening a packet of the fever cooling sheets after he finished reading the instructions on the back. Sitting on the edge of Kuroko's twin-sized bed, he gently brushed the sky-blue locks before applying the fever cooling sheet on his burning forehead. Poking it with his finger, Akashi then ordered him to keep still while he heat up the chicken noodle soup that he had bought a while ago. Snatching a packet of yarrow tea, the redhead made his way downstairs and busied himself in the kitchen. He returned minutes later carrying a tray with a bowl of soup, a cup of tea, and two glasses of water. Setting it on the desk, he helped Kuroko sit up on his bed, arranging the pillows behind him to make him comfortable. When he was satisfied with his setup, Akashi reached for a glass of water and offered it to him._

 _"Here, drink a little," he said, supporting it even as Kuroko was holding it with both hands. When the bluenette had his fill, Akashi then asked, "Would you like to have some soup now? Will you be able to hold it down?"_

 _"I... I think so... Thank you, Akashi-kun."_

 _Still, Akashi nudged the trash can under the desk closer to the bed using his foot, then he pulled the chair over as well and placed the tray containing the soup and tea on the seat. He further surprised Kuroko when he held the slightly warm bowl of soup in his hands and motioned to feed Kuroko._

 _"Akashi-kun, you don't have to-"_

 _A raised eyebrow told him that Akashi was unamused. "And pray tell how you are going to eat when you cannot bring out your arm from under your blankets?"_

 _Kuroko blushed from embarrassment. "Uh..."_

 _Akashi sighed, lowering the spoon back into the bowl. "Just let me feed you so that you can drink your medicines."_

 _Kuroko lowered his head in shame. "I don't mean to be a bother..."_

 _"You're not a bother, Kuroko. Now, eat. I want you to get better, okay?"_

 _"Okay..."_

 _Akashi smiled at the boy's sudden bashfulness. "Now say 'Ah~'"_

 _Kuroko swallowed the soup and pouted at the smirk on the redhead's lips. "Akashi-kun's enjoying this too much."_

 _"Indeed, I am."_

 _"Then, if Akashi-kun gets sick, will you allow me to take care of you?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _"But wouldn't Midorima-kun be a better choice?"_

 _"Unless Midorima improves his bedside manner, I'd rather have you as my nurse- Be careful when swallowing, Kuroko. Here, have some water."_

 _Kuroko managed to finish the soup without any more incidents despite his flaming face and Akashi's ill-timed teasing here and there. He drank half of the tea after taking the medicine that Akashi said was the most effective for him, even though Kuroko cannot remember seeing him ill. They talked for a while though, as Akashi, for lack of things to do, began to poke around Kuroko's small collection of books and began commenting on each one of them. When he noticed Kuroko looking sleepy, he urged him to go ahead and rest while he clean up and wash the used dishes._

 _"Ano... Akashi-kun..." Kuroko said when the redhead was halfway out the door. "Will you... Will you be here when I wake up?"_

 _Ruby eyes softened at the sight of the phantom's flushed face and hoarse voice. "Of course, Kuroko. Now, rest. I'll be right beside you when you wake up."_

 _"...Arigatou, Akashi-kun."_

 _"Sweet dreams, Tetsuya."_

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 _What...?_

"...A...ka...shi-kun...?"

His desperate whisper was met by silent darkness. Realizing that he was yet to open his eyes, Kuroko tried to pry them open only to close them shut when the faint light coming from behind the curtains felt like needles stabbing his eyeballs. Everything felt hazy to him - he can't seem to remember what happened before he fell sick. All he remembered in complete detail was his former captain ditching class to tend to him. Was it a memory, something that truly happened? Or was it merely a dream, a product of his fevered brain?

""...A...ka...shi-kun...?"

He tried calling his name again. Will he get an answer if he tried hard enough? Will he hear him?

"...A...ka...shi-kun...?"

When he heard the bedroom door creak open, he was about to call the redhead's name only to realize that whoever this person is, it was not the one that he hoped it to be.

Akashi's footsteps were never loud and intrusive.

"...Kaga...mi...kun...?"

"Ah, it's me." He felt the edge of his bed dip down under Kagami's weight as he sat down to replace the cold compress that had fallen off the bluenette's forehead when he moved around in his sleep. "I don't mean to pry, but you've been calling someone's name in your sleep..."

Kuroko tried to answer but his parched throat rebelled against the action and he was wracked by a violent fit of coughs. Kagami helped him drink some water to make him feel better.

"It's alright, you don't have to explain anything to me. I'm just curious, s'all."

"...'m sorry..."

"Just rest a bit more. The soup's almost done - I'll bring some up in a little while."

"Alright."

Kagami left the room to check on the soup that was boiling in Kuroko's kitchen. Alone now, Kuroko found it hard to stop the tears that had been pooling behind his eyes. Even if it was an illusion, Akashi had been there with him. In his room. Sitting on his bed. Feeding him soup. With his beautiful eyes shining with life and mirth. Even when it hurts, Kuroko tried to open his eyes as if to confirm which one was the dream and which one is reality. A sob tried to claw its way up his throat but Kuroko swallowed it down, cursing himself for even thinking that Akashi could even be thinking of him right now.

 _Because he wouldn't. Shouldn't. Couldn't._

 _I am dead to Akashi-kun._

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InterHigh came and went, and Kuroko quelled the disappointment in his chest when neither Akashi nor Aomine played during the finals. As Seirin was busy with summer training, he did not have the chance to sneak at the glance at the red-haired boy that had been haunting his dreams since that time he fell sick.

Nine months... Just three months shy of one year, yet to Kuroko it felt like ages ago when he last talked to Akashi, when he asked him if he had already found his answer. However, the person that he talked to that time was not the Akashi Seijuurou that he knew and cared for. Somewhere inside his mind, the ruby-eyed captain was held captive by his own consciousness in a vain effort of keeping him safe and untainted, not knowing that it was only serving to destroy the boy even further. Knowing that, there was not a single day that Kuroko did not ask himself if he could have done something to stop Akashi's downward spiral to madness.

But how could he?

He was weak.

Weak. Useless.

Sometimes Kuroko thinks of going to Kyoto just to check on Akashi, but Momoi had assured him that the redhead was doing fine. He'd become the student council president and the captain of the basketball team a month after entering Rakuzan, but Kuroko only got even worried.

Isn't it too much? Wouldn't he get tired from all the things that he needs to do with those positions?

"Akashi-kun is fine, Tetsu-kun," Momoi told him again and again. He did not believe her though.

 _If I could just see Akashi-kun just once, and up close so that I can look into his eyes... Please, let me know that you are alright..._

He got the chance to do so the day of the Winter Cup opening ceremonies.

When he received the message from Akashi, he had stared at his phone in disbelief. _Was he really asking to meet up with me?_ However, when he managed to calm down from his high and read the brief message, he realized that it was a group message, and suddenly, the message suddenly became a summons instead of a heartfelt message.

He then had to endure the very tensed atmosphere between his former teammates as they waited for the one who called them to gather outside. When Akashi showed up five minutes later, his heterochromatic eyes immediately narrowed as he took note of Furihata's presence, who cannot move a muscle even when the redhead had ordered him to leave since this gathering is for _Kiseki no Sedai_ members only.

Kuroko wondered if Akashi was forgetting about the fact that he was not a part of their elite circle but as if hearing his thoughts, Akashi added with a slight grin, "Tetsuya is different, of course."

And then here comes Kagami, all brash and loud and Kuroko felt afraid for what the Emperor might to do his teammate for disturbing their little get-together. When Akashi asked for Midorima's scissors, Kuroko held his breath as Akashi nonchalantly began snipping at his bangs, the reason being that it bothers him a little. When the redhead's hand holding the sharp instrument shot out towards Kagami's cheek, Kuroko had tried to intervene but Aomine and Kise held him back, not wanting the phantom to get caught in the crossfire. It was Kagami's fault anyway - he should've listened to Akashi when he told him to leave - besides, it's better that he learn now than to suffer even more in the future.

"You're fast," Akashi said in mock praise, then smirked as a thin line of red bloomed on the taller boy's cheek, "but not fast enough. Since you managed to dodge that, I'll forgive you this time. But next time, I will not be so lenient."

He turned his back on the gaping Kagami, and handed Midorima his scissors. Sensing that Akashi was now planning to leave, Midorima frowned but before he could voice out his complaint, Aomine beat him to it.

"Oi, Akashi, you're leaving already?"

A sardonic chuckle escaped the redhead's lips as he paused on the steps. "You possibly can't be missing my company that much, Daiki."

Aomine gritted his teeth. "That's not- Why did you call us out then?"

Facing them once again, Akashi looked each of them in the eyes, lingering on Kuroko's sky-blue ones. "I simply needed to confirm something. It was unnecessary though. I can see that none of you had forgotten what we had sworn on that day."

"Akashi-kun-" Kuroko began, but Akashi was already walking away.

 _What- What happened to you, Akashi-kun?_

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End file.
